


Relax and Let Me Help

by forgetmenotjimmy



Series: Fuse Me Back Together [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (2012), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Mention of Emotional Manipulation, Mention of misuse of medical procedures, mention of sexual abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-17
Updated: 2013-07-17
Packaged: 2017-12-20 12:18:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/887204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/forgetmenotjimmy/pseuds/forgetmenotjimmy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to ‘Lie Still and Let Me Work’<br/>Everyone decides it’s just easier for Bruce to perform all of the Avenger’s medical check-ups as they trust him, at least more than the SHIELD medical staff, and he can perform just about any procedure at the Tower. He’s prepared to deal with snark, deflection and even hiding, but he’s surprised when the Captain is the most difficult to convince, and when he finally coaxes the reason out of him, he’s horrified and enraged.<br/>Whilst it's not essential to read the prequel, it offers all the explicit details which are only hinted at in here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relax and Let Me Help

**Author's Note:**

> Again, whilst I did some cursory research into abuse recovery, I really don’t know a lot about phycology, but neither does Bruce so maybe this’ll work out fine. See End Notes for triggers. Also I rated this 'Mature' instead of 'Explicit' because I feel the descriptions of the sexual abuse were not explicit and vague enough for this rating but if anyone disagrees then please let me know.

Bruce didn’t originally train as a medical doctor and all he did know in the medical field had been learnt on the run so normally he wouldn’t be the first choice as doctor to perform medical check-ups but, well, when it came to the Avengers, they always had ‘special’ requirements. When the team had been told about his new duties, he could see them quickly coming up with ways to avoid him for as long as possible without being too obvious, he hadn’t been surprised when several pairs of eyes instantly became shifty; sighing inwardly, he stole himself for tantrums, drawn out games of hide and seek and general fussing. Slowly, he worked his way through the group: Tony was the first and easiest as Pepper was just a phone call away, and JARVIS helped too, Thor wasn’t quite human but had no shame and boundless curiosity so he’d agreed once Bruce had confirmed no fiendish needles would be used to subdue him. Clint was finally caught and dragged in by Natasha, who stayed during the whole exam, arms crossed and face verging on stern, her quiet glare pinning her partner in place. Bruce had braced himself for her to scarper off with the relieved Barton at the end but luckily she wasn’t a hypocrite, despite the atmosphere being slightly on edge throughout.

Surprisingly, it was Captain America of all people who was the hardest to pin down. It was almost impressive how he somehow managed to be everywhere he needed to be and still escape every attempt to usher him into the lab. In the end, Bruce just had to be firm and direct. With JARVIS’ help, he cornered Steve when he was sketching quietly on the roof, the late afternoon sun soft against their skin, lighting up the city floors below. He greeted the doctor warmly, lines around his eyes crinkling slightly. Relaxed by his quiet contemplation and drawing, Steve seemed to have forgotten why he was avoiding Bruce until the doctor reluctantly interrupted the pleasant conversation and his gentle reminder made the artist’s hand still.

“Time for a check-up Captain.” Although his face remained mostly blank, the Captain’s body tensed, not panicked but definitely on high-alert. Bruce had tried not to think of any particular reason Steve would try to avoid a medical examination, wanting to believe it was the same kind of aversion Clint had and nothing serious. The Captain looked up at the doctor reluctantly but with familiar steel behind his eyes; seeing the resolve in the doctor’s stance, his expression altered slightly, almost resigned. Amused by the emotion, Bruce tried to make set Steve at ease with humour.

"Come on now, don’t make me call reinforcements!" He’d meant to emulate Pepper’s stern but loving words or Natasha’s sharp but harmless pokes with hidden knives, he’d meant to be funny but he almost immediately regretted his choice of words as something flickered in Steve’s eyes, something he’d never seen in them before, but recognised in himself. Knowing he’d been taken literally set the doctor’s teeth on edge but he blew out through his nose, keeping his control steady. Shoulders straightening out and jaw tightening as his body adopted a more military stance, the Captain nodded once and Bruce narrowed his eyes briefly before nodding as well, trying to be gentle but not patronising. "Well, come on then." He began walking to the lab and stiffly his patient followed.

On the way, JARVIS informed him that his presence was advised in the R&D department as Tony had apparently coaxed some of his workers into helping him build a teleportation device. Knowing that the genius had been working without sleep to just above an unhealthy level, Bruce didn’t doubt that his physical presence would be needed to forestall another lab accident but as he hesitated he noted that Steve hadn’t reacted to the exchange, just stopped walking when Bruce had. Bruce really needed to get to the bottom of this. JARVIS spoke again, and when that AI repeats himself, you know that he’s serious. Right, triage. This he could handle. Still disliking the Captain’s worrying behaviour but trusting him not to run, the doctor told him to go ahead and wait in his lab whilst he sorted the delinquent genius out. 

...

About twenty minutes later, still muttering to himself, Bruce pushed open the door to the lab, saw briefly that the Captain hadn’t arrived yet and then paused when he took another step and spotted his patient, lying naked on the examination table. For a wild moment, he thought he was being punked and Steve would sit up laughing as someone, probably Tony, would leap into the room and take a picture of the doctor’s expression. Then the moment passed, his surmisation of the situation deteriorating rapidly as he took in his patient´s tense body, hands in fists and shallow, distressed breaths. Oh, this was far worse than what he was anticipating. 

Breathing out shakily, the doctor forced himself to walk normally over, and to not react to Steve tensing even further as he did so. Quietly, Bruce murmured.

"Steve," the patient didn’t respond, darkening Bruce’s already grim conclusion, he tried again. "Steve, I need you to sit up." Anxious eyes met his, throat swallowing as the words were considered. Slowly, he sat up and Bruce sat down on his stool so he had to look up slightly to meet Steve’s eyes, carefully putting down his clipboard. He thought of a way to ask without sounding reprimanding or condescending but found he couldn’t. He was very aware that he was not at all equipped to deal with this situation but quickly dismissed the idea of involving anyone else. It had taken him long enough to get Steve here, revealing this secret to someone else would seem, almost like a betrayal, not that Bruce thought that Steve was showing him more than the necessary trust in this situation. Luckily, or maybe not, Steve broke the tense silence.

"Sorry sir, I’ll be still and quiet for your tests."

"Why are you apologising?" The question slipped out before Bruce could vet it in his head and he was about to take it back when the soldier answered it in a quiet, strained voice.

"I was being childish, I apologise sir, please continue." Realising that Steve was stuck in his head somewhere, Bruce decided to play along until he could find a way to bring him out of it again; he was so out-of-his depth with mental trauma that he knew he’d have to tread carefully. He did know two things that he’d picked up from somewhere, however, first, that making the patient feel comfortable and in control was paramount to keeping them calm and not inducing any violent reactions and second, that Steve was now in a distinctly military headspace, seeing Bruce as a superior and therefore more likely to comply with any given instructions. Considering how long it had taken for the doctor to get him into the lab in the first place, he wanted as much data to work with as soon as possible, so he could make sure Steve could receive the diagnosis and treatment he needed from trained professionals without drawing out the process of them assessing him broadly before focusing in. Bruce knew the Captain, not much but well enough, to know that he would be extremely resistant to therapy and cooperating with psychologists so even though the idea made him want to vomit, Bruce knew it would be best for everyone if he got the full picture there and then. The expanse of skin threatening to distract him he looked away and said quickly.

"I’m going to need you to get dressed again, today’s tests do not require you to be-" he paused, trying to find the right word, but the Captain didn’t seem to notice the hesitation or the awkwardness so Bruce finished, "naked." Wordlessly, the patient got up and replaced his clothes, quickly and efficiently. The doctor had to breathe in slowly a few times to control the anger beginning to brew in his stomach. Once he was fully clothed, the patient followed the doctor’s nod and sat himself on the edge of the bed again, hands folded in his lap but his frame far from relaxed. What made it worse was how Bruce didn’t know exactly what the Captain had been expecting and how his sadistic mind was torturing himself with every disgusting and horrifying scenario it could conjure up. He worked on his breathing, pushing the thoughts away; he needed to focus. The patient remained still and silent, clearly waiting for orders.

Bruce struggled internally, wondering how to phrase the difficult questions he had to ask. He re-read the notes on Steve’s medical file as compiled by SHIELD: there had been three full examinations over the course of his time as Captain America, although the definition was a little off due to lack of access to equipment and limited time so really all the information boiled down to was checking that the serum was still working. There was no information on who made the minimal notes though Bruce suspected from the style that it had been the same doctor. For a while, he didn’t say or do anything, waiting for Steve’s breaths to even out. Figuring he was as settled as he could be in the lab, Bruce began softly but in a professional tone.

“When was the last time you had a full physical exam?”

“December 5th 1942, sir.” So at least Bruce could rule out any culpability from SHIELD’s part, a small bit of relief taking the edge off the tension bunching in his shoulders.

“I need to know the specifics of it, some of the medical information in your file is incomplete.” He paused, wondering if the patient was aware enough to see through this blatant lie, the Captain was sharp and didn’t miss much, under normal circumstances he’d point out that SHIELD had uncovered almost perfect records from the SSR and had performed minor tests in the short time between being discovered alive and the battle with the Chitauri. His eyelids flickered the instruction but his voice only wavered slightly as he answered.

“I- I don’t know the names of the tests, sir.”

“That’s alright, they aren’t necessary. I just want to hear from you-” _calm Banner, be calm,_ “I need you to describe them to me.” If the request seemed confusing or suspicious, the soldier didn’t show any indication, instead hesitating a second before starting in a robotic tone.

“First he pressed his hands against my skin, feeling beneath it,” Bruce nodded gently, unnecessary perhaps, but nothing off the book he noted, though he couldn’t help but think that he didn’t remember it being in the file. The Captain went on, describing legitimate medical tests that didn’t seem necessary, Bruce couldn’t remember reading on the chart and that seemed increasingly intimate, heavy use of hands feeling the Captain’s body. Images of that marble skin laid out on an examination table made his stomach churn. Shaking himself internally, he tried to focus on the present, taking in the soldier’s slightly shaking hands, his strong voice straining as remembered fear shone in his eyes. Over the months of their time as a team Bruce had seen the great physical power of their Captain in the field but also an inner strength and control whilst dealing with the intricacies of balancing the volatile team and the inflexible organisation they sort of worked for; he was a strong man with a tight rein on his emotions, something which impressed but worried the scientist. That control was waning and he could almost see the man unravelling in front of him, the long repressed memory struggling to break down the careful self-control.

“He put my feet in the stirrups and then- then…” swallowing and eyes narrowing, frustration and disgust turned inward as the Captain continued, “he felt inside- inside me, sir.” The ‘sir’ felt like a stab of pain through the nausea clawing its way up Bruce’s throat and the assault, the past violation was now laid out neatly for him to rage against. Desperately he clamped down on his indignant anger, knowing that there would be no use for it, _don’t scare Steve, Big Guy, come on, keep calm._ He shifted minutely in his set, hands in fists; he knew the tenser he was, the more on edge Steve was, but he couldn’t help it. His mind couldn’t even properly process it. The soldier choked on his next words and Bruce snapped.

“That’s enough.” He knew he’d been curt and almost aggressive in his order but he’d been unable to listen further and Steve didn’t seem to notice the emotion, relief in his eyes breaking through the attempt at stoicism. The soldier was wringing his hands again, his true self peeking through the military polish, a scared and isolated young man being forced to relive a traumatic experience. God, even worse, he must have been expecting to be inflicted on him another time.

“That won’t happen again. I swear it.” The conviction in his voice must have pierced Steve’s mind-set as he blinked and looked up, something like surprise in his eyes. They held each other’s gaze for a long, tense moment; different emotions flickering over their faces but the connection unbroken. After an eternity of searching and doubt, Steve nodded softly once, gulping, eyes shifting away. Bruce couldn’t handle this on his own, it wouldn’t be doing Steve justice in the long run but he didn’t know who to turn to. SHIELD was out of the question but anyone outside of the organization had to be vetted and checked, trusted with the mental health of one of the most important men in the country. Bruce didn’t have much faith in the military or government, and his trust in them was even lower than opinion of them but this man in front of him represented what they could be and Bruce had the greatest respect for him. _God, how to do this?_ Pepper Potts sprung to mind, competency, contacts and most importantly discretion; she could source and vet the best psychiatrist available and maybe, maybe even keep it away from Tony. The less people to know, the better. Their resident genius might be able to keep it to himself but he didn’t have a great track record of not picking scabs until they bled, especially when it came to the Captain. Snapping himself out of his worried plan-making, Bruce re-focused on Steve who seemed less tense and more open. “Steve?” This time, the doctor knew he was getting the real man.

“Yes Doctor Banner?”

“I won’t do anything you feel uncomfortable with, your emotional well-being is the most important thing right now.” Steve’s confusion at this concept was yet another flare of anger in his boiling stomach but Bruce forced it down. “Steve, I need you to understand. You’re safe here, no one can do anything to hurt you, in any way.” A small voice in the doctor’s head reminded him he couldn’t promise that but he ignored it, he needed his Captain to understand. “What happened to you wasn’t right and no one has the right to make you feel like that.” Realisation was glimmering in Steve’s eyes, his features going slightly lax as he thought through Bruce’s words. “Please believe me.” The Captain’s face was now unreadable but after a moment it became clear that he was boxing his emotions back up again, shoving down the horrible memory with the mess of negative feelings tangled up with it. Bruce held back a sigh and began explaining as best he could without Steve mistaking his concern for a diagnosis of mentally unstable.

“A lot of the medical procedures you’ve described to me weren’t necessary for the goal of testing the serum and I think they were done improperly.” He hesitated for a moment, taking in the flash of what might have been disbelief, before ploughing on. “I want you to understand that if you ever feel uncomfortable with the tests I perform then you tell me immediately and we’ll find a way to do it in another way, okay?” The Captain looked uneasy and slightly guilty.

“If this is about my conduct-”

“No Steve, this is about you feeling in control of your body. I promise you this is not how we conduct medical examinations now.” Something in his tone must have spurred a realisation on Steve’s part as he murmured, mostly to himself.

“He wasn’t a real doctor.” Bruce’s eyes snapped to Steve’s and sensing this the soldier went on to explain. “He knew the most about the serum but, well, he didn’t have medical training. Genius but…” With a sinking feeling, Bruce identified a suspect from his readings of Operation Rebirth.

“It was Howard Stark who ran these examinations, wasn’t it?” The silence said it all but a terse nod confirmed it nonetheless. Right. And as if the Fates were watching and laughing cruelly, JARVIS addressed Dr Banner again.

“Apologies Dr Banner, Captain Rogers, it appears sir has woken from his nap and is attempting to regain entry into the lab containing the ‘Most Awesome Teleporter That’ll Work In Your Face ‘The Fly’’ Project you diverted him from an hour ago. He is insensible to reminders of your prior warnings.” Bruce did sigh then. Exhausted from reigning in his anger, the sudden fierce protective instinct when it came to Steve and now Tony’s relentless disregard for his own health, Bruce raised his eyebrows, a look to express to the AI just how much he needed that news right that second. There was a quiet huff of laughter from beside him.

“Need a hand?” Amazingly, a sliver of amusement accented Steve’s offer; Steve Rogers was back to bemused if stern mother-hen, not quite sure how to handle Tony but willing to try. Bruce, as an outside observer into that complicated relationship, was of the opinion that Steve did a lot better than he probably thought, what with Tony still difficult for him to read. Bruce, on the other hand, knew a bit more of the impact Steve’s attention had on Tony so even though he was still trying to work out how to handle Steve’s recovery, he felt it alright to let Steve take the reins on this occasion.

“Can you take this one? It is your turn, I did it last time.” Appreciating the joke, Steve snorted and stood up, face falling a little as he inquired quietly – as if so JARVIS couldn’t hear.

“We, er, done here?” Bruce looked him over once before saying firmly.

“No, but it can wait. I need to figure some things out first.” Steve rocked on his heels a fraction before Bruce, knowing the unasked question, replied. “This stays between you and me unless you say, okay?” Visible relief flickered across that serious face before the lips twitched.

“You’re changing him next time Banner.” Smiling back, Bruce half-waved as his patient left before letting out an explosive sigh once alone.

“JARVIS? Can you keep the audio record of this on my private server and delete that and the visual from everywhere else?”

“Certainly Dr Banner, I must remind you that sir can access your server if he overrides the settings, but he will only do so in an emergency.” Nodding, Bruce sighed again.

“I remember JARVIS, thanks.” As the AI replied courteously, Bruce suddenly asked. “JARVIS? Can you source me some texts on trauma recovery and other texts on abuse therapy?”

“Of course Dr Banner, the requested data will be saved onto your server shortly.” Not wanting to analyse the hint of emotion he thought he’d heard from the AI, Bruce got up stiffly from the lab stool and stretched. He had some reading to do.

**Author's Note:**

> End Notes: Warning: mentions of past rape, misuse of medical procedures to sexually abuse and emotional manipulation


End file.
